Languages

Italian

Italian is in FSI's quickest group: 24 weeks of class for an English speaker. These guides cover hours per level, tracking, and keeping Spanish out of your Italian.

Italian in numbers

FSI difficulty
Category I
FSI class hours
552
Hours to B1
~276
Hours to B2
~442

For a native English speaker. Work out your own finish date or log your Italian hours free.

Time & Hours 1

Time & Hours
3 min read

How Long Does It Take to Learn Italian?

552 class hours, says FSI: Italian is among the fastest languages for English speakers. Hours by level, daily timelines and a calculator.

Language Guides 1

Language Guides
4 min read

Tracking Your Italian Learning Progress: A Practical Guide

How to track your Italian learning the right way: hours, activities, streaks, and milestones.

Polyglot 1

Polyglot
3 min read

Managing Language Interference: When Spanish Leaks Into Italian

If you learn related languages, interference is inevitable. The diagnostic + tracking approach.

Italian FAQ

How long does it take to learn Italian?

The U.S. Foreign Service Institute puts Italian in Category I: about 24 weeks, or 552 class hours, for a native English speaker to reach professional working proficiency (ILR 3). FSI students also self-study about 17 hours a week on top of class.

How many hours to reach B1 in Italian?

About 276 hours from scratch for a native English speaker, by this blog's rule of thumb (half of FSI's class hours). At one hour a day that is about 9 months. A1 is about 69 hours, A2 about 138 and B2 about 442.